3rd Grader’s Recitation Kicks Off Get Georgia Reading Campaign

If every adult joined together to make sure kids learn how to read by the time they reach the third grade, the kids would sound like Luke Valladares.

The confident 3rd grader read an excerpt from Roald Dahl’s “The BFG” at a media conference to kick off the Get Georgia Reading Campaign. The new initiative aims to increase children’s proficiency in reading by third grade by 2020.

His recital was poised and assured. What made the moment all the more poignant was the short speech he delivered to the audience afterward.

“I like reading because I can use my imagination,” Luke said. “But too many kids my age in Georgia can’t read this book. That’s not fair.”

He went on to thank the partners for getting involved to help kids read and then introduced Georgia’s First Lady, Sandra Deal.

The Get Georgia Reading Campaign

Nearly two thirds of Georgia’s children are not reading proficiently by the end of third grade. The lack of literacy is especially prevalent in low income families.

The Get Georgia Reading campaign has enlisted 100 partners that represent government agencies, business foundations, nonprofit organizations, and schools to change this statistic and help more children read and speak with confidence like young Luke.

Resources are available on the getgeorgiareading.org site to train parents on the importance pf talking, reading, and singing to their children to spur language development.

You can get involved by making a promise on the Get Georgia Reading site to do you part.